Memories (not the Lloyd Webber song)

I always travelled quite a bit on the Portsmouth to Waterloo line, at least between 1962 (when I first moved to Pompey) and 1988 (when I left for Bournemouth).

There's a part of the line a few miles from Waterloo where the line runs above the level of the surrounding land, so you can see into people's front rooms (if they live in a second floor flat).

At some time in that period, probably in the early seventies, and for I'd say a couple of years, it was possible to see from the railway line the top of a factory chimney (the base being out of sight) standing up above the level of the line. And incredibly (I swear I'm not making this up), sat right on top of the chimney was a wrecked sports car (I'd say a pink Triumph Spitfire, or something of that ilk).

Of course, I've never known how or why it got there, but I've always wondered.

Judy (not Collins)

In a similar vein I've recently been researching (and becoming a Facebook friend of) Judy Dyble (original Fairport Convention singer).

Not only is she still performing, it turns out she's related to my old boss Quentin de la Bedoyere...small world!

Buffy (not the Vampire Slayer)

Who should turn up being interviewed on the BBC World Service the other night but Buffy Ste Marie.

It seems she's still recording and touring.

Of course, the youngsters at work had never heard of her...

Fools (including me) on Facebook

As I've mentioned before, I'm keen on studying family history and, to this end, I've made a point of contacting as many people as I can who have the same surname as me (Sheraton, if you remember) and asking them to be my Facebook friend. The idea is that they may be able to give me useful information, and vice versa, and this has happened with quite a few of the Sheraton clan.

Anyway, responses fall into two main groups. Most (I'd say) just accept the request. A smaller number just ignore it.

But there's just one or two who take exception to my request.

"Who are you? I don't know you! Leave me alone!"-that sort of thing.

So for them I've created a Facebook group "I wouldn't be David Sheraton's Facebook friend if you paid me money".

Silly I know, but it amused me when I set it up (not under my own name, obviously).

The funny thing about it is that quite a few people have joined-most of whom I've never had any contact with (attempted or not) whatsoever.

Just goes to show there's quite a few people just as stupid as me out there.